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Ethics is a concept - a philosophy that should be lived, not legislated. But today, with competition to succeed at new levels of intensity, too many people lose sight of ethics. Many people feel that to be ethical means to put yourself at a disadvantage. Some even view it as a sign of weakness - don't compromise your principles.
Ethical practices must exist at all levels of business and society. Recruiting is no exception.
Our intention here is to point out certain beliefs about how both the employer and the candidate should handle themselves during the recruiting process.
Let's start with a working definition of ethics:
- The principles of conduct governing an individual or group, specifically professional in nature.
What follows is a listing of some of the more important items for both the candidate and employer's protection:
The Employer Must:
- Hire in a way that does not promote discrimination of any kind.
- Accurately represent the organization, position, promotion possibilities, and policies.
- Offer a salary that is within an accepted, appropriate range for that position.
- Adhere to guidelines that have been agreed upon between the school and employer.
- Allow candidates an appropriate amount of time in which to make a decision and to interview with other companies.
- In summary - be truthful!
The Candidate Must:
- Have a sincere interest in pursuing a position with that company (don't accept an offer and keep interviewing; don't renege on an acceptance; don't play companies against each other).
- Be honest and open about future plans; e.g., graduate school, transfer/relocation requests, etc.
- Honor any guidelines that have been established between the school and employer.
- Be honest and open about salary or decision date information.
- Make a legitimate effort to respond within the agreed-upon time frame.
- In summary - be truthful!
These seem easy and obvious, but you may find yourself in a position where the simplest, fastest and easiest solution to a short-term predicament would be to ignore one of the listed guidelines - Don't!
If, for any reason, you find yourself in a position that may compromise you, speak to your placement or career advisory department. They will not only be able to give you objective advice, but also, perhaps, prevent the situation from recurring.
Good luck with the interview process!
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